New platform helps assisted living residents engage with current technology

by Autumn Robertson

Residents playing with the iN2L system. (KTVL/Autumn Robertson)

Thursday, May 11 2017 —

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. -- Senior living facilities are diving into technology with a system called "It's Never Too Late" or iN2L for short.

Pioneer Village in Jacksonville rolled out the platform early April 2017. 18 sister facilities throughout the region use iN2L as well. The system allows residents to interact with history and even see live footage of where they grew up.

iN2L is easy to explain and large enough to see. The 60-inch, touchscreen system is simple enough for residents to use and contains more than one thousand applications residents can explore.

Dora Howard, executive director at Pioneer, says iN2L is proven to help with memory loss, cognitive behavior, and hand-eye coordination. The system makes it simple for residents to use social media, play games, and connect with family members. Residents can video chat with distant family members and veterans can easily reach out to soldiers over seas.

Seniors can dive into their past by researching items they used years ago, and can easily look up and see a live image of where they grew up. These applications helps residents with dementia and keeps residents alert as they engage with the device. As technology continues to move quickly, it helps the residents feel connected

"Everyone has cell phones and iPads," Howard says. "It gives them a purpose and makes them feel connected with their families because they get to use the internet technology. "

Every three months, iN2L releases new applications for the residents to enjoy. Howard says she has received nothing but positive feedback from her residents regarding the system.